The midnight performance is equivalent to the $3.4 million Fox's "X-Men: First Class" earned in late-night screenings and higher than the $3.25 million "Thor" racked up in its own midnights shows.

"X-Men" went on to make $55 million and "Thor" made $65.7 million in their premiere weekends.

"Lantern" represents a pricey gamble for Warner Bros., which hopes to spin a franchise around the ring wearing superhero. The studio spent roughly $300 million to produce and market the film, which has earned poor reviews, but should benefit from strong audience awareness and higher 3D ticket prices.

Directed by Martin Campbell, the film stars Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively.